John August

Transcribed

Character and Story Fit

Episode - 606

Go to Archive

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John welcomes back Pamela Ribon (My Year of Dicks, Moana) to talk about how to fit the right characters to your story. We know story comes from characters, but often an idea starts with a world, so how do writers find the right characters to build their story around?

We also talk about writing for animation, working in reality TV and the forgotten art of television recapping. We then answer listener questions about choosing a character’s sex and gender, and gauging page count from an outline.

And in our bonus segment for premium members, we explore Pamela’s own podcast, Listen to Sassy, about the greatest teen magazine of all time.

Links:

* [Pamela Ribon](https://pamie.com/) on [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0962596/)
* [Listen To Sassy](https://listentosassy.com/)
* [Television Without Pity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_Without_Pity)
* [Get Real (1999-2000)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212662/) on IMDb
* [How to Hire a Pop Star for Your Private Party](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/06/05/how-to-hire-a-pop-star-for-your-private-party) by Evan Osnos for The New Yorker
* [The Secret to Judd Apatow’s Comedy? A Huge Library of Self-Help Books](https://www.gq.com/story/judd-apatow-self-help-book-interview) by Clay Skipper
* [Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel](https://www.estherperel.com/podcast)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/) on Instagram
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Adam Pineless ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/606standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-11-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-606-character-and-story-fit-transcript).

Medicine and Mayhem

HWTBAM, Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig look at four tales of science, medicine and mayhem and ask, how would this be a movie? Stories include a catatonic woman who woke up after 20 years, a white supremacist transformed by MDMA, a drugged crypto lawyer, and an in-depth account of alien biology.

But first we have a very special announcement: Scriptnotes LIVE is back! We also follow-up on recent episodes before Drew and Halley look at statements John and Craig made years ago to see if either of them have changed their tune.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John and Craig discuss the changes that are coming to the world of Dungeons and Dragons with ONE D&D.

Links:

* [Scriptnotes LIVE! at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scriptnotes-live-tickets-674019238687) benefitting [HollywoodHEART](https://www.hollywoodheart.org/)
* [A catatonic woman awakened after 20 years. Her story may change psychiatry](https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/300895339/a-catatonic-woman-awakened-after-20-years-her-story-may-change-psychiatry) by Richard Sima for Stuff
* [How a dose of MDMA transformed a white supremacist](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230614-how-a-dose-of-mdma-transformed-a-white-supremacist) by Rachel Nuwer for BBC
* [He Went After Crypto Companies. Then Someone Came After Him.](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/18/business/kyle-roche-crypto-leaks-satoshi.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare) by John Carreyrou for the New York Times
* [Alien biology post](https://www.reddit.com/r/aliens/comments/14rp7w9/from_the_late_2000s_to_the_mid2010s_i_worked_as_a/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) on Reddit
* [Awakenings](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099077/) and [Lorenzo’s Oil](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104756/)
* Scriptnotes episodes [74](https://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-ep-74-three-hole-punchdrunk-transcript), [176](https://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-176-advice-to-a-first-time-director-transcript), [238](https://johnaugust.com/2016/scriptnotes-ep-238-the-job-of-writer-producer-transcript) and [251](https://johnaugust.com/2016/they-wont-even-read-you).
* [The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom](https://www.zelda.com/tears-of-the-kingdom/)
* Larry Turman on [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877274/) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Turman).
* Dan Goldberg on [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0325175/) and [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Goldberg_(producer)).
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/) on Instagram
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Jon Spurney ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt with help from Halley Lamberson, and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli).

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/605standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-11-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-605-medicine-and-mayhem-transcript).

That’s a Good Question

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig question questions themselves. What’s really happening when a character asks a question? How many types of questions can be asked? What can questions tell us about our characters and the power dynamics within a scene? Are these leading questions or rhetorical questions? And will John and Craig answer them all?

We also answer questions from listeners about turning a screenplay into a book and first jobs in the industry. But first, we follow up on the GameStop movie, pitch decks and a groovy listener outro.

In our bonus segment for premium members, we look at the financial backgrounds of superheroes and their villains, and the strange patterns of inherited wealth.

Links:

* [DUMB MONEY Trailer](https://youtu.be/bmr8YmwnZ3w)
* [Lost in the Shuffle: A Double-Dealing Puzzle Game](https://www.spencerispuzzling.com/product-page/lost-in-the-shuffle-a-double-dealing-puzzle-game) by Spencer Beebe
* [Mass production of rebar in a Japanese factory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqmxvc2YgjM)
* [CEOs in Comics: Villains Earn, Heroes Inherit](http://www.juliansanchez.com/2011/09/21/ceos-in-comics-villains-earn-heroes-inherit/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) by Julian Sanchez
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/) on Instagram
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Nico Mansy ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli). Our intern is Halley Lamberson.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/604standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 8-11-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-604-thats-a-good-question-transcript).

Billion Dollar Advice

Scriptnotes, Transcribed

John and Craig welcome Akela Cooper (M3GAN, Malignant) to help offer guidance to billionaires looking to put their money in the safest place they can: the film and television industry. The trio looks at the upsides of investing in productions, which business models already exist and what we can learn from the independent television studios of the past.

We also chart Akela’s career from USC student through to this year’s hit film M3GAN. We then answer listener questions on planting easter eggs and nameless characters.

In our bonus segment for premium members, Akela tells us about her experience in two different studio training programs and whether they’re useful for new writers.

Links:

* Akela Cooper on [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4868455/) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/akelacooper/)
* [Paramount Writers Mentoring Program](https://www.paramount.com/writers-mentoring-program)(formerly CBS Writers Mentoring Program)
* [Warner Bros. Television Workshop](https://televisionworkshop.warnerbros.com/)
* [M3GAN Dance Scene](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c7XccFwJrQ)
* [Episode 122: “Young Billionaires Guide to Hollywood”](https://johnaugust.com/2013/young-billionaires-guide-to-hollywood)
* [Ben Affleck And Matt Damon Launch Production Company With RedBird Capital’s Gerry Cardinale](https://deadline.com/2022/11/ben-affleck-matt-damon-launch-production-company-with-redbird-capital-1235178013/) by Bruce Haring for Variety
* [Warner Bros. Discovery In Talks To License HBO Original Series To Netflix](https://deadline.com/2023/06/warner-bros-discovery-in-talks-to-license-hbo-original-series-to-netflix-1235421444/) by Peter White for Deadline
* [The Carsey-Werner Company](https://www.carseywerner.com/) on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Carsey-Werner_Company)
* [Чёрный Ворон (Black Raven) – Chernobyl OST](https://youtu.be/-q23tuds2ZU)
* [Evolution Keeps Making Crabs, And Nobody Knows Why](https://www.sciencealert.com/evolution-keeps-making-crabs-and-nobody-knows-why) by Clare Watson for Science Alert
* [Welcome to Wrexham](https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/welcome-to-wrexham) on FX and Hulu
* [Arnold](https://www.netflix.com/title/81317673) on Netflix
* [The Last Action Heroes](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/668268/the-last-action-heroes-by-nick-de-semlyen/) by Nick de Semlyen
* [Commando: The Musical](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FFQ_g8OoQM)
* [Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast)
* [Check out the Inneresting Newsletter](https://inneresting.substack.com/)
* [Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/gifts) or [treat yourself to a premium subscription!](https://scriptnotes.supportingcast.fm/)
* [Craig Mazin](https://www.instagram.com/clmazin/) on Instagram
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [John on Mastodon](https://mastodon.art/@johnaugust)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Nora Beyer ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))
* Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and edited by [Matthew Chilelli](https://twitter.com/machelli). Our intern is Halley Lamberson.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/603standard.mp3).

**UPDATE 7-26-23:** The transcript for this episode can be found [here](https://johnaugust.com/2023/scriptnotes-episode-603-billion-dollar-advice-transcript).